Improvement in piano-forte actions



CHARLES-E. ROGERS.,

improvement in Pian-Forte Actions. N0,124,289, Patented March-5,1872.

Unrrnn S'rafrns PATENT rrron.

CHARLES E. ROGERS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND ALBERT E. MANNING, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN PIANO-FORTE ACTIONS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 124,289, dated March 5, 1872.

To allpersons to whom thescprcscnts 'may come:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. Roanne, of Boston, ot' the county ot' Sutfoll; and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Piano-Forte Actions 5 and do hereby' declare the same to be fully described in the following specification and represented in the accompanying drawing, which exhibits a front elevation et' it.

i'he improved action is specially intended for uprightpianos, my invention or improvement having' reference to the construction and arrangement ot' the parts ot' the action.

In the drawing, A denotes the key-board; B, a lacy; C, the hammer, and D, a string; the latter standing vertically or in a vertical plane, or thereabout. The tail-block a ot' the hammer' is represented as pivoted at b in a stationary projection, c, extended from a fixed rail, d, there being' a short arm, c, projecting' down from the said tail-bloek, in manner as shown. This arm o is to co-operate with an adjustable button, f, to effect or aid in etfect ing thc return ot' the. hammer after each blow ot' it upon the strin The said 'adjustable button has its screw-shank screwed through a hammer-litter, E, formed and arranged beneath the tail of the hammer, in manner as shown, and connected thereto by a loop, g, ex tended from such litter and hitched upon a hook, lz, projecting .trom the tail of the hammer. The loop and hool; insure the preservation of the litter and the hammer in their due relations, and aid in reti-acting the hammer at'- ter each blow ot it. The said lifter E is connected with the lower end ot an elevator-arm, F, by means ot' an eyed screw, z', which screws up into the said arm, a screw, it', going' through the eye ot' the screw fi, and being screwed into the litter. The elevator-arm, being analogous to a hammer-arm, is in two parts, l m, jointed together at n, and formed and provided with a counter-spring', o, as shown in the dawing. The upper portion fm of the elevator-arm is fastened to and projects down from the key, in manner as shown. The. back catch is rep resent-ed, at G, as extended at an acute angle from the rear end of the key, the hammer-head being cushioned, as shown at o', where it is to operate with such catch. Furthermore, there is, at the upper part otl the elevator-arm F, a cushion, p, for the hammer to fall back upon. The damper is exhibited at H, its shank being fastened to a block, Q, pivoted in the arm o, and provided with a wire, r, extended dowin ward, in manner as shown. A cushioned damper-actuator, I, formed as represented, and pivoted at s, is connected with or applied to a pedal, K, by means ot' a pitman or rod, t, all being arranged as inthe drawing. This pedal serves to enable a person, by his foot, to throw the damper ot't' the string, it, preparatoryY to each blow of the hammer, being thrown oi'r" by the key by means of aI looped cord, n, extended from the elevatorarm F to a hook, o, projected from the block q, as shown. A spring, w, ar ranged as exhibited, serves to restore the damper to the string.

I malte no claim to a key-hammer and damp er, such being constituent parts ot all or most piano-actions. My peculiar arrangement of them and their mechanical devices ot connection, as well as the construction ot the latter, as hereinbet'ore explained, cause all ot` the mechanism to take up very little space in a piano-case, and enable the whole to be operated with great ease and with important advantageous results.

In the said piano-action, I claim as follows:

l. The combination ot the elevator-arm F, composed ot' the parts l m o, as set forth, with the key B and the lifter E, arranged with the hammer', as set forth.

2. Also, the arrangement and combination of the tail-block arm c and the adjustable button j" with the hammer C, the litter E, and the elevator-arm F, applied to the key B, all being arranged and in other respects substantially as specified.

3. Also, the damper H, the connection-cord n, the hammer C, the key B, the elevator-arm F, and the litter E, arranged and constructed substantially in manner and to operate as set forth.

4. Also, the damper H, the connection-cord u, the hammer C, the key B, the elevator-arm F, the litter E, and the damper-actuator I, and pedal K, arranged, constructed, and combined substantially in manner as explained.

5. Also, the back catch G, arranged, as set forth, with respect to the key B, and the hammer C, disposed. and combined with the elevating-arm F and litter E, as explained.

IVitnesses: CHARLES E. ROGERS.

R. H. EDDY, J. R. Snow. 

